YVONNEThe construction of the shelter commenced almost immediately after it was approved. In the end, I chose the site in the suburban area over the one in the countryside.I'd be lying if I'd say Vladimir's past with Riva didn't affect my decision. But I chose it mostly because of the conveniences it offers. It would be more accessible for women seeking refuge compared to the one in the countryside where they have to travel for hours before they could reach.I personally oversee the progress from time to time while working on the foundation. With Dave's help, I am slowly learning the ropes of my job. I'm getting the hang of it. Now I can do a few tasks without his help.I flinched when I almost bumped into someone on the way to my office."Good morning, Yvonne," it turned out to be Mr. Anderson. Everything good in my morning faded at the sight of him.I clenched my jaw. I hadn't seen him in a while. I don't know where he was, but I wish he had just stayed there.I nodded curtly inst
VLADIMIR"Take me to the foundation," I growled as soon as I got into the car.The startled driver nodded when I slammed the door close.Fuck it! I just lost another deal! Fuck. Fuck!I pressed my fingers against my throbbing temple. I'm getting a headache from all of this!At first, I wanted to resort to violence. Noel and Hiroshi are still in the basement. I could let off some steam through them but then I thought of Yvonne. The foundation is closer to where I am now.The thought of her smiling as she did her job lessened my stress. If I could let off some steam in more pleasurable ways, why not?I went straight to her office, not minding the employees I walked past. They all greeted me, but I chose to ignore them.I grabbed her immediately. I nuzzled against her hair, inhaling her sweet, addicting vanilla scent. It must have a calming effect since it almost instantly calmed my nerves down."Uhm... Did something happen?" I heard her ask. I just made up a lousy excuse for wanting to
VLADIMIR My jaw clenched after listening to her. I can already imagine making Anderson suffer for it. Should I torture him as well? It wasn't too long ago since I got rid of Rodriguez while Hiroshi was still held captive. Just how many people do I need to get rid of because of her past? The basement would probably be filled to the brim if I kept everyone who hurt her hostage. Honestly, I don't give a damn about it. What happened to her wasn't her fault. She was a victim. "Don't worry," I muttered after a while. "I'll take care of it." She looked pale while looking at me as I spit those words with hatred. I watched her blink and take a deep breath as if trying to collect herself. "You should," she nodded. "That would be your problem anyway." I frowned. How did that become my problem? Well, now that I think about it, I realize she is right. It would probably cause a huge scandal on my part. My enemies and the media will surely feast on it once it's out in the open. But do I re
YVONNE"Vlad!" I squealed when he acted like he couldn't hear someone's knocking.I tried to push him but he only grabbed my hips to hold me in place while he kept going at it! Oh my gosh! I can't believe him!"Did you lock it?" I frantically asked again.Instead of answering, his hands covered my ass to lift me from the table. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist for support."What are you doing?!" I hissed against his ear but he ignored me.I groaned when he started walking with his dick still buried deep inside me. My eyes rolled back when he hit a spot that gave me so much pleasure.Damn it!I glanced at the door, silently wishing that whoever was knocking wouldn't dare open it. I don't know how we could face anyone in this scandalous position.Vladimir was walking while carrying me in his arms. His pants fell down to his hips while I was almost naked. My whole upper body was exposed. My skirt was bunched up on my waist while my panties dangled on my right leg!I squeeze
YVONNE"Selene," I mumbled while staring at her."Ava!" she squealed. The name I used back in the ring suddenly sounded foreign to my ears.I gasped when she suddenly pulled me. I froze when she wrapped her arms around me.What's happening? What the hell is she doing here? Is she with Vladimir?!I glanced at him, but he only smiled at me.There were so many questions swirling inside my head. So many conclusions were forming, that I didn't know which one to jump into.Did Vladimir buy her too? I thought I was his wife, but am I just one of his sidepieces? Or perhaps I am the side chick considering he even bought a house for her.Sure, it's not extravagant like his penthouse or villa, but still..."Ava!" Selene pulled away to look at me from head to foot. "God, I can't believe it's you!" she exclaimed."Selene," I muttered, still speechless. "W-what's happening?" I stuttered, my gaze bouncing back and forth on each of them.Vladimir nodded at Selene instead of answering my question. She
YVONNE"Vladimir!" I hissed when I finally escaped his lips. "I need answers!" "What's going on?" I snapped. "Why are they here?"He let out a long sigh. He pulled a chair to sit, then grabbed my waist to let me sit on his lap."Vlad!" I rolled my eyes. How can we talk properly when he can't seem to keep his hands to himself?Damn it! And I am just as worse! I'm like a dry leaf being burnt when it comes to him!"Okay, okay," he chuckled but still hugged me tightly. His head settled against the crook of my neck."I thought you would be happy to see them," he murmured after a while. "They could be the first refugees of your shelter."That shut me up for a while. Am I happy to see them free? Of course! I was just confused.I sighed."I'm happy to see them, okay?" I said in a low voice. "I just have so many questions.""Fire away," he said, his arms wrapping tighter around me."How did you get them out of the ring?" I asked."There's no more ring," he whispered, his lips touching my skin
YVONNE My days were bustling after that. There was so much to do and yet I don't feel exhausted. Instead, I feel content and happy. With the foundation's help, we were able to find most of the women's remaining family. Especially those who wanted to go back to them. We provided some of the programs that should be available if only the shelter was already complete. They underwent extensive health check-ups and counseling with our professional volunteers. Some women who didn't have anywhere to go to remained in the hideout for the meantime. They will be transferred once the shelter is built. "Can we give them jobs in the shelter?" I mumbled while looking at the personnel we needed to hire. We were looking for professionals like counselors, a psychologist, a doctor, and such. But we also have open positions that I think the girls might qualify like coordinators or even utility staff. "I think that would be a good idea," Dave agreed. "Do you think so?" I frowned. I feel somehow to
YVONNEI can't believe I was able to stand up to Jade. I stared at the door where she had just left not too long ago. It opened after a few seconds."What happened?" Dave worriedly asked. He came in with my secretary behind her."Nothing," I sighed. "She just has some concerns about the girls."The argument seemed to have drained my energy. I suddenly wanted to go home and rest. I sighed and glanced at the documents I needed to review and sign."You can take the rest of the day off," Dave suggested as if he had just read what was on my mind."But how about these? I still have a lot to do," I slumped against my seat."I'll take care of it," he said before turning to my secretary."Jane, call her driver and tell him she wants to go home now," he ordered."Thank you," I muttered.It didn't take long before I was already in the car, driving the way back to the penthouse. My bodyguard walked me to the elevator and into the unit.My phone suddenly rang after I closed the door. I fumbled ins
VLADIMIR"Shit! You're bleeding!" Mike hissed when the crossfire finally ceased. "We have to take you to the hospital!""Do you think I have time for that?" I growled. "We need to find her!""Our men are already looking for them. We should at least try to stop the bleeding!" he insisted while glancing at my stomach.The middle part of my shirt is now soaked in blood."You won't find her in that state," he snapped. "You might die first."Fuck!"I can't let them get away!" I yelled. We can't let precious time pass. Who knows what they plan to do to her?! And Jade!"Fuck! Did they get Jade too?""It seems so," Mike answered. "They couldn't find her anywhere.""Fuck!" I kicked the sand in frustration. "Who else knows we're here?""What's happened here?" Smith came up to me."Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" I retorted."What are you insinuating?" he narrowed his eyes at me. "We have nothing to do with this!""You better make sure of that!" I spat while reloading my gun.My head is sp
He raised his hand to cup one bosom inside it. I shut my lids tightly. I don't want to see what he's going to do to me. He gently cupped my breast, his thumb circling around my nipple. I thrashed and tried to move away from him despite being restrained."Stop moving!" he snapped. His hold on my chest tightened."No! You stop this!" I growled. I am so mad. How dare he touch me like that? I want to kill him right now!My jaw clenched when he crouched down and buried his nose against my neck. I wanted to kick him away from me but I couldn't move my legs. Damn it."Aaah!" I screamed so loudly when I felt him moving down, trailing kisses on my skin."Stop!" I growled. He laughed as he took a step back away from me. I sighed in relief until I saw him grip his whip again.Oh no...I watched him raise his hand and snapped it in the air. The leather strap landed on my side, the tip curled and hit my back. I bit my lip to stop myself from making any sound that might excite him more. He continue
YVONNE"Hey!" Jade yelled. "Where are you taking her?"My goodness! Why does she have to intervene? It's not like she could do anything against these men!For fuck's sake, we were in the same boat! Literally and figuratively! Does she want to get hurt too? I thought as they dragged me out the door struggling."Yvonne!" she screamed desperately.I kept thrashing, trying to get myself free from their grasp even though I knew it was futile. I was dragged across a narrow hallway until we stopped in front of a door. The other man knocked twice before pushing it open. They rashly threw me in. My legs fumbled, causing me to fall. I winced in pain but I made sure not to make any sound."Get up!" somebody grabbed my hair to pull me up. My teeth sank on my bottom lip in an attempt to stop myself from screaming.It was so painful! I thought my scalp would be peeled off from my head! Damn it!I looked up and saw a man standing in front of a bed. I gasped as my head started to run wild.My eyes w
YVONNE "Tell him we're in the sea!" I ordered. She looked at me incredulously. "What?" she asked with disbelief. "Sea?!" "Yes! I'm sure we're on a yacht or another water vehicle of sorts. Can't you feel the motion?" I desperately asked. "Okay, okay! I just want to get out of here!" she retorted before turning back to the phone. "Yvonne assumes we're on a yacht," I heard her tell Vlad. She stopped to listen to whatever he was saying. "Yes! Please hurry!" she cried. "Vlad, I'm scared!" My nostrils flared while looking at her. Why does she have to be with me? But oh well, I won't be able to talk to Vladimir if she isn't here. More importantly, being with her upped the chances of being saved. Now I wouldn't have to worry that Vlad might not pay the ransom or worse, just let me die at the hands of my abductor. Especially now that it's only a matter of time before I get exposed for my real identity. I don't know if he knew about the article I found on the internet. I wasn't able
YVONNE I woke up to the feeling of my body lightly swaying as if somebody was cradling me to sleep. My lids felt heavy. and my head is pounding so badly.What happened? Did I fall asleep in the hammock? Because I swear I can feel my body rocking from side to side. It was so dark that I couldn't understand what was going on.I was forced to keep my eyes open, trying to train them to see in the dark but failed. My clothes are the only clear thing I see because they are white."What's going on?" I murmured. I felt my body sprawled on the cold floor. When I tried to sit, I realized that my hands were tightly tied behind my back. Oh god. Fear swiftly crept through my whole body. "What happened?" I muttered, my forehead creased in confusion. I looked around, trying my best to adjust my vision in the dark. Using my elbows, I tried to prop my upper body so that I could sit while still thinking about how I ended up in this dark, creepy place. Slowly, things started to dawn on me until I r
VLADIMIRI was startled when Yvonne suddenly stood up. She told me she needed to go to the ladies' room."Are you okay? Want me to come with you?" I asked, but she refused.That's when I realized that she was going with Jade. I watched her stalk Jade, who obviously looked drunk with the way she walked.I kept glancing in the direction she went in and my wristwatch as minutes passed. What's taking them so long?"Hey man, drink up," Eric said when he noticed that I was distracted."Yeah," I nodded. I grabbed my glass and drank my shot straight before getting my phone to call her."What's taking you so long?" I asked when she finally picked up."Do you need help? I can go there." I offered when she said that Jade was drunk. She must be throwing up or something."No, I don't think she'd like that. I'll just call you if I can't handle it," she hurriedly said."Okay," I answered reluctantly. I didn't want to stop talking to her but she had already ended the call. I reluctantly put the phone
YVONNE "Okay," Vlad muttered after the blank silence that passed between us. "Bye," I ended the call and pocketed my phone before turning back to Jade who's now staring at her reflection in the mirror. "You look like shit," I blurt out before I could stop myself. I chewed on my bottom lip. Me and my big mouth! "Yeah, right," she chuckled, which surprised me. I thought she would slam my head on the counter after saying that. She must be really drunk. "Here," I handed her the wet wipes. "Take this." "What am I going to do with that?" she cocked up an eyebrow while eyeing the pack as if it was the filthiest thing she had ever seen. She has a lot in common with Vlad more than I thought. There's no doubt he was the one who raised her. "Eat it," I snapped impatiently when she just kept staring at it. I didn't know she could be stupid when drunk. I snatched a folded wipe from the pack and handed it to her. "Wipe your face," I ordered. Should I record this on video? I bet this is
YVONNE I squeezed my eyes shut. I can feel my world spinning around with my overflowing thoughts and the excessive amount of alcohol in my system. I had the urge to throw up all the contents of my stomach. Who could have done this? I wanted to cry. I tried hard to gulp the lump in my throat. I poured another glassful of whiskey. I drank it straight, wishing it would clear my airways. "Are you trying to get drunk?" I heard Jade laugh beside me. I turned to look at her which I immediately regretted. My dizziness worsened because of the sudden movement. I opened my eyes and tried to focus my vision. "How about you?" I said, my words slurring no matter how I try to keep my tongue straight. "I'll just go to the ladies' room," she said instead of answering my question. "Wait. I'm coming with you," I pulled myself up from my seat and took a deep breath while steadying myself. "Where are you going?" Vlad asked when he noticed us. "To the ladies' room," I said. "Are you okay?" he
YVONNE "I guess," I shrugged, feigning nonchalance when I finally found my tongue to speak. "Why do you ask? Do you know them?" I retorted. "Yes. My father has been doing business with them since the eighties," he boasted. I forced myself to smile despite the annoyance growing inside me. Who are these Rogers? Are they some big shots? Probably. I sighed in relief when he finally let the topic go. He must have felt my indifference on the subject. We ate dinner while they casually talked. Unlike this morning, they aren't talking about business anymore, so I can somehow relate. I laugh with them and answer to the best of my ability every time they try to engage me in the conversation. I glanced at my phone to check the time. Can I sneak back to our hotel room? I don't think they will notice my absence anyway. But I have no choice but to endure. I sighed in relief when the dinner was finally over. Just when I thought that we could go back to the comfort of our suite, I heard the